William TOMKINS (1732-1792, English)
A View of Painshill and Cobham in Surrey
oil on canvas
41 x 64 inches (91.3 x 152.5 cm)
Price: Sold
The following can be observed in the painting:
The river Mole, which flows northwards round three sides of Cobham, i.e. right to left.
The river island, cut through the bank of the river Mole c.1742, by the Hon. Charles Hamilton; the ground and banks look fairly well established with two new trees by the river bank.
The wooden Cobham Bridge, which is made of sturdy tree trunks, rather like telegraph poles, with supporting structures for the side railings. The road over the bridge, and formerly through the ford, was the main London to Portsmouth road for over a thousand years.
A white ‘gallows-type’ sign. During the 18th century, the bridge was locked and the key was kept at the King’s Arms near this sign; though the inn building is hidden from view.
Some signs of disrepair (i.e. missing/broken railings) on the Cobham side of the bridge; this was an on-going problem with many disputes, between those responsible, over lack of repair. By 1779 the Cobham side of the bridge was shown as being in serious disrepair.
A river ford to the right of the bridge, which appears to be still in use as a crossing when this was painted, was presumably free of the toll!
An old river ford, which can be clearly seen on the far bank to the left of the bridge, appears to be in use on that side only, probably for watering horses; the river bed here was probably eroded from years of use and hence unsuitable for wheeled vehicles to use as a crossing.
A white painted paling fence blocking the near side of the old ford, and marking the bend in the road at the Portsmouth approach to the bridge.
A roadside fence, as shown on the 1744 John Rocque map, which was surveyed c.1737/42.
A wooden building across the river, on the Cobham side which is the London approach; this is on the 1744 John Rocque map that was surveyed c.1737/42. The building was gone by 1797. It is probably not part of the King’s Arms. From c.1749 to 1873, there was a tollhouse for Cobham Bridge, near the present Matthew Arnold Close, so it might be connected with that.
The spire of St. Andrew’s Church and stone buildings in or near Church Street. Right to left along Church Street, these are possibly: St. Andrew’s church; Style House and Overbye (these are mixed in the view, as they are actually on opposite sides of the street); (Lime House, built c.1700 half way along Church Street, is not visible, as it is hidden behind trees); Longboyds, built pre-19th century; and the last building was either the one at the corner of Church Street, or was the house by the river; these were built in 1598 and the 17th century.
The kitchen gardens, built in 1756, are visible through the trees to the right of the island; they are also shown on the 1797 Crawter map.
The walled entrance to Painshill Park, shown on the 1744 John Rocque map; this also shows a formal garden layout near the island.
There is no trace of the drive for Bond-Hopkins house, which was built in 1774-8.
The giant Cedars, planted by Hamilton and still there today, can be seen to the right through the trees.
Wooden paling fence in the left foreground, showing the field boundary; this is also on the 1797 Crawter map.
Cobham and Bookham Commons on the horizon.
William TOMKINS
The son of a painter, the London-born artist William Tomkins is recognised for being one of the first generation of English painters of the picturesque view. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, from its inception in 1761, no less than seventy-eight times up until 1790 and was made Associate in 1771. Although he is chiefly acclaimed for his numerous paintings of Country houses, his practice in copying international Masters including Claude and Hobbema, was somewhat notorious. He even anticipated J.M.W. Turner by challenging Claude in a large work which he executed for a patron as a pendant to a canvas by Lorrainer, a venture that testifies to his measurable significance in his day.
His style is a development of the earlier ‘bird’s eye’ view tradition of landscape painting, and uses a lower viewpoint where the emphasis lies on strict topographical accuracy. His paintings are therefore of the utmost historical interest.
His patrons included Lord Clifford (1772) Viscount Lisburne (1773) Joseph Parker at Saltram (1772, now National Trust), Sir Charles Kyme Tynte (1771) and Henry Luttrell at Dunster (1773) and many other major landowners. He emerges as one of the most favored painters of landscapes and Gentlemen's Seats of the 18th century. His work is currently housed in many notable public and private collections including that of Lord Salisbury and the Tate Britain.